Urban Refugees in Mauritania

46 FMR 17 Urban refugees in Mauritania by Channe Lindstrom A largely desert country, the Islamic Republic of refugees the right to work, not one refugee interviewed had been granted Mauritania forms a link between the Arab Maghreb a work permit nor heard of any others who had obtained such a permit. Most and western sub-Saharan Africa. refugees do not believe, however, that a work permit is necessary for them s such, it covers a cultural months. The attestation is only a doc- to carry out labour in those informal transitional area with the pop- ument of protection; it does not sectors of the economy where they A ulation divided between necessarily grant refugees the right to have found work; due to weak admin- Arab-Berbers to the north and black resettlement or financial assistance. istrative infrastructure and a lack of Africans to the south. Mauritania is Moreover, this paper is not always enforcement resources, the govern- one of the least developed nations in respected by the law-enforcement ment has adopted a laissez-faire the world. Legal and social infrastruc- authorities. approach. ture remains rudimentary. Political power and economic wealth is concen- Assistance to refugees The majority of urban refugees in trated in the hands of a few. While Nouakchott support themselves by Mauritania only recently has come to When an individual’s application for casual labour in the largest market in be regarded as a stable country for its asylum is pending, no material or Nouakchott while others work as bar- own nationals, it has now become financial assistance is granted to the bers, hairdressers, carpenters, host to a relatively significant number refugee. Many refugees turn to the plumbers, electricians, construction of refugees from a variety of sub- mosques and churches as well as the workers and fishmongers. The majori- Saharan countries. Mauritanian Red Crescent who pro- ty, however, are self-employed in vide blankets, food and some financial tailoring. LWF micro-credit schemes The majority of urban refugees in assistance to anyone deemed in des- have been set up in order to create Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, perate need. Many refugees concede and sustain incentives for entrepre- are from Sierra Leone. They began to that begging is a common practice. neurial activities. arrive in 1997 at a time when UNHCR was about to close its office following "We have no means of providing for Access to education and the conclusion of its voluntary repa- ourselves; we are just receivers. I have healthcare triation scheme for Malian refugees. surrendered myself to the UNHCR." Unlike the right to work, access to the Since then, the refugee population has (Refugee in Nouakchott) rights of education and healthcare do been steadily increasing with 50-100 not require permits. As a signatory to new arrivals each year. The majority A partnership between UNHCR and the 1951 Convention, Mauritania is are between 18 and 59 years of age the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) – required to accord refugees the same (20% are under 18 years of age) while the only implementing partner of treatment as nationals with respect to 43% of the total population are UNHCR in Mauritania – was initiated elementary education and the same female. in April 1999. LWF administers and implements the programme of treatment as ‘aliens’ with respect to secondary and further education. UNHCR status determination Emergency Assistance to Individual Urban Refugees in Nouakchott but has Refugees must also be accorded the same level of healthcare treatment as Despite the fact that Mauritania has insufficient resources to meet the nationals. However, as Mauritania pro- acceded to the 1951 Geneva high demand for services. UNHCR has vides its citizens with neither free Convention Relating to the Status of reduced its funding and the resources elementary education nor healthcare, Refugees and its associated 1969 New at LWF’s disposal have consequently access to both depends almost entire- York Protocol as well as the 1969 suffered. ly on whether one can afford the Organisation for African Unity Refugees are assisted by LWF through costs. (The only health care facility Convention Governing the Specific the distribution of food, clothing and provided free of charge is child vacci- Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, blankets; payment of medical bills nations.) The difficulties encountered Mauritania has yet to adopt a national and costs of shelter and education; in attaining employment generally law regarding the status of refugees, a refugee school; and micro-credit mean that refugees find it difficult to nor has it established a national eligi- schemes. Equal amounts of assistance afford these services. LWF has no bility procedure for the granting of are given to each family – a relatively medical facilities but in a medical asylum. In view of the absence of insti- new policy instigated by the UNHCR emergency a refugee is taken to hospi- tutional structures to protect and Protection Officer to prevent conflicts tal by the refugee representative uphold the rights of refugees, UNHCR within the refugee community and responsible for medical assistance – in Nouakchott examines all requests avoid allegations of favouritism. and the treatment is paid for. for asylum. Reimbursement of minor medical Access to employment expenses is usually delayed for up to The only official paper issued by a month, a practice which places sick UNHCR to validate an individual’s Although Mauritania is obliged under and vulnerable individuals under con- refugee status is a renewable ‘attesta- Article 17 of the 1951 Geneva siderable strain. tion’ valid for between three and six Convention to grant recognised FMR 17 Urban refugees in Mauritania 47 UNHCR is reportedly negotiating with often arrested in the hope of extract- obligations towards the protection of the Mauritanian authorities to recog- ing a bribe. Although the entire refugees’ rights into national policy. nise the primary school qualifications population is arbitrarily harassed by Although it nominally accepts the of refugee children. Uprooted and police officers asking for bribes, granting of refugee status determined generally English-speaking, these chil- refugees are a particularly vulnerable by UNHCR, it does not issue any for- dren need a curriculum that is and targeted group. If one is not able mal recognition. UNHCR Mauritania adapted to their needs and allows to pay bribes, refugees report having continues to offer local integration as them to learn Arabic and French in been detained at the local police sta- its primary – if not only – ‘durable order to integrate into the Maurit- tion for up to one week before being solution’. This should not be consid- anian educational system. Two volun- released. The Mauritanian Association ered as ‘durable’ until, at a minimum, teer teachers give free courses at four for Human Rights reports substantial national laws are put in place to primary school levels for 75 children. abuses in detention committed by ensure the protection of refugees. The Canadian Fund for Local police forces against refugees. Several Mauritania’s inability to fulfil its inter- Initiatives in Mauritania provides cases of deportations have been national obligations is due to a equipment and school supplies. Even reported. combination of factors. Being an so, refugees reported that there was a underdeveloped country, it finds itself severe shortage not only of teachers Administrative weakness in the form short of the resources which ensure but also of books and other educa- of a lack of understanding at the respect for refugee rights; tional materials. municipal level (e.g. policemen not Mauritania’s weak and un-harmonised recognising a refugee card) and administrative structures hinder the Prevalence of discrimination, national level (e.g. deportation of development of a transparent and detention and deportation refugees, thereby violating the princi- coordinated refugee policy. ple of non-refoulement) leads to Regardless of their nationality, most unjust treatment of refugees. Channe Lindstrom is a former refugees interviewed assert that Ironically, however, it is the country’s graduate student of the University racism and cultural intolerance administrative weakness and underde- of Oxford Refugee Studies Centre. towards foreigners are prevalent veloped economy that simultaneously Email: [email protected] among the Mauritanians. UNHCR’s prevent the commitment of greater This is a summary of a report ‘attestations’ are issued to regularise injustice because these characteristics commissioned by the Forced residence and provide protection for reduce the government’s capability to Migration and Refugee Studies the refugee population. However, it effectively conduct mass detentions Programme, American University, was widely reported that these are not and deportations. Cairo. The full report, which respected by the law-enforcement details the situation of other authorities who have had no training Conclusion refugee groups in Mauritania as in refugee issues. The threat of deten- well, is available at tion is real, despite the possession of The Mauritanian government has Refugees from www.aucegypt.edu/academic/ a UNHCR attestation. Refugees are failed to translate its international Mail, Bassikounou fmrs (under reports). camp, Mauritania UNHCR/C Shirley.

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